Symptoms of the liver

Jaundice, or icterus, is a yellowing of the skin that usually begins in the area of the white dermis of the eye. The yellowing is caused by the accumulation of a blood pigment degradation product, the so-called bilirubin, in the blood. Bilirubin is broken down in the liver, so if the liver is damaged, the bilirubin concentration in the blood increases because the breakdown capacity in the liver is reduced.

The cause of such damage can be cirrhosis of the liver or severe hepatitis. Enlargement of the liver can occur in the context of diseases that trigger structural changes in liver tissue. These include fatty liver, a precursor of cirrhosis of the liver, e.g. in the case of excessive alcohol consumption.

But hepatitis and congenital liver diseases can also trigger liver enlargement. If the liver is enlarged, it protrudes below the right costal arch and can be palpated by the examiner. The exact size of the liver can be measured by means of an ultrasound examination.

You can find detailed information under Enlarged liver. The portal vein carries the blood from the digestive organs to the liver. In chronic liver diseases, e.g. cirrhosis of the liver, if there is a reduced blood flow through the liver, the blood accumulates in the portal vein and this leads to portal vein hypertension.

This causes the blood to back up along the digestive organs so that the blood has to find other ways to be transported away from them. As a result, “varicose veins” develop on the abdominal wall (“caput medusae”) or in the esophagus (“esophageal varices”). Since many symptoms emanating from the liver indicate liver cirrhosis, and since liver cirrhosis gives a relatively impressive symptom picture, you will find an overview of the most important symptoms of liver cirrhosis here:

Jaundice (icterus)
Abdominal fluid (ascites)
Varices of the abdominal wall (Caput medusae)
Esophageal Varices
Red coloration of the palms (palmarerythem)
Painting
Bald belly (absence of abdominal hair)